Richmond Electric Vehicle and Electric Mobility Action Plan 2024

Owning an EV is a private decision. One that requires an owner/purchaser to provide for the charge of their vehicle on their own, which typically means installing a personal use charge point at their home. Those who live in a city setting should not expect, nor should the city government provide for, public charging stations on public streets. This whole plan is extremely contradictory to the Richmond Connects plan in that EVs encourage single occupancy vehicle usage. RC and R300 and RVA Green 2050 all speak to encouraging the use of transit and bike and pedestrian infrastructure. EVs are not the magical solution to solving environmental and social crises. Beyond that, EVs are still cars, which are still traffic, which is still a hazard to pedestrians and cyclists. It's fine to plan for the expansion of EVs, install charge points at City owned facilities like libraries and community centers. Right now, the market is not demanding government intervention to make EVs equitable because they are inherently inequitable. The equity portion of this plan is confusing. The research cited mentions that the cost of EVs is a barrier for low income individuals, subsidies are not enough, and states prices are unlikely to come down on EVs. Yet, the plan calls for charge stations to be placed near low income communities and those living in 'communities of concern'. How is it equitable to place an EV charger in a place where no one can use it or it will not get any use? Simply deploying chargers in low income communities for the sake of 'equity' is not going to solve the environmental justice issue that communities of concern face. As Richmond grows and develops, builders and private entities will provide EV chargers for their customers, employers, renters, etc on their own property and that will be enough to close the gap on the number of chargers needed in the future. Especially as it nears 2035, more and more private buildings will see charge points being installed. By 2035, people will still be driving gas cars. They will still buy used gas cars after 2035. 2035 is not the magical year in which all cars will become electric. It will take many, many years beyond 2035 for the switch to truly all electric. And yes, that may mean some government intervention is needed, but again, the market will largely drive this decision and those who want to make a profit will deploy them as needed. We should be treating EVs like parking minimums. Let the private entities decide how, when, and how many they need to install.

This is the creation of a new permit which means more paperwork and processes for city employees.

Exactly. We should treat EVs and charging points like we did with parking minimums - let the market decide .

Do we need incentives if private entities are already doing this?

What? If I'm a resident and my city came to me & told me to let those with EVs park near the EV chargers I would be extremely upset. It's PUBLIC parking for a reason. ANYONE is entitled to use it if it's available, even if It's near a charging station.

This clutters up valuable sidewalk real estate.

What? It's available if you pay for it, or if you live in a building that provides it.

Charging should not happen on public streets.

that's sort of the point. Public parking is for everyone, and is a first come first serve.

So we're encouraging surface parking now?

Part of owning an EV is having a reliable charge point, off street. And that is the responsibility of the owner. When you put EV stations on street in neighborhoods like the Fan, there will be residents attempting to reserve 'their parking spot' at the public EV charge point.

If that number excludes parking lots and garages then what's left? on street spaces? If so, needs to be specified.

Those are destinations and they seem like the most likely places those who own EVs tend to concentrate.

Absolutely not. At no point should this be allowed, even with supposed ADA Accommodations. It is still a barrier. The public right of way is not a storage facility for someone's charging cord for their private vehicle.

there is an artificial need for chargers. Of the 570 households, did you ask them where they charge their vehicle? I bet it's at home. Have you asked them if they need to charge while out and about in the city at all?

At no point should public dollars be used to help install EV chargers on private business property. Private biz is already doing this on their own based on market demand.

This should be the ONLY way EV charging stations are provided within the City. We can encourage this through site plans and PODs.

So is your solution to create more surface parking lots?

I think it's wrong to say EVs are 'equitable'. Unless you are handing out free electric vehicles, EVs are inherently inequitable.

Respondents ALSO supported the creation of a subsidy for e-bicycles.